Step By Step
by The 8th Stone
Summary: 100 Mostly SasuSaku One-Shots: 7. Two Sides of the Strait - "AU. Naruto, the son of Konoha rebel leaders Minato and Kushina, lives under the Uchihas' roof after Konoha is invaded by Suna."
1. Fail Males Here

**Step By Step**  
><em>100 (Mostly) SasuSaku Drabbles<em>

.

**a/n:** Otherwise titled, "The 8th Stone's Attempt to Shorten Her Writing." Will try to limit each drabble to 500 words or less, but my goal is an average of 100 words—which, as you can see from this chapter, probably won't happen.  
>This fic will mostly contain SasuSaku. I think a few General will pop up here and there, and a few non-Sasuke or Sakura centric fic, but that's about it.<p>

**WORD COUNT:** 500 words (counting the title).

* * *

><p><span>1. Fail Males Here<span>

"I don't want to go to your Fail Male Club," said Sasuke.

"Again, it's _Dating a Girl 101_," Sakura corrected, adjusting her glasses. "And since I, your best friend, am founding this class, you have no choice!"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm leaving."

But before he could take a step, Sakura got hold of his shirt collar. Without warning, she opened the door and threw him in.

He was knocked to the ground by the force of her superhuman strength. Rubbing his sore arm, he looked up and saw Sakura entering the classroom.

"Bachelors of Konoha High!" she declared, and the chattering died. Sasuke glanced around the classroom and found it crammed, completely full.

Sakura walked to the front of the room and slammed her hands down on the teacher's podium. A chip-eating boy in the front row jumped.

Sasuke watched in amazement as the normally reserved Sakura picked up a piece of chalk and wrote down, in big bold letters, _DATING A GIRL 101_.

She whirled around, facing the crowd of dumbfounded boys and barked, "How many of you in this room never went on a date before?"

Silence.

She crossed her arms impatiently. "I repeat, how many of you never ever asked a girl out, took her to a movie, got her dinner, and sent her back home with a 'I had a great time, see you next week'?"

A quarter of the boys lifted their arms tentatively.

"It doesn't count if she left you in the middle with an excuse to go somewhere else but never came to you for a second date."

A few other boys grumbled quietly as they raised their hands.

Sasuke leaned against a wall, not understanding what was happening.

Sakura nodded. "Put your hands down. Now, how many of you never held hands with a girl before?"

More hands rose.

"How many of you never kissed a girl before, mouth-to-mouth?"

Half of the class had their hands up.

"How many of you never get past first base?"

All but five raised their hands this time.

Sakura nodded again. "Put your hands down. Now... how many of you do not have a girlfriend?"

It was a pointless question. Every single boy in the room except for Sasuke himself had their hands in the air.

Sakura smiled. "Gentlemen, in this room, we have nerds, Goths, loners, and geeks. You are all what the world call _losers_."

A few boys looked as if they wanted to protest, but Sakura's glare shut them up nicely.

"I will not sugarcoat the truth for you," said Sakura. "As the outcasts of the teenage society, we all know equality is for _shit_. I won't waste my time with flattery. Here, you will learn what you have all failed to do before. Here, you will learn how to become attractive. Here, you will learn how to _win_.

"Welcome to my class. My name is Sakura Haruno, and I will teach you how to get the girl."

* * *

><p><strong>an:** This one is all over the place, sorry.


	2. At Your Weakest

**a/n:** I'm glad that the reception for last chapter was so well. :) Thank you, for everyone who reviewed. The sequel of "Fail Males Here" will come up sometime later in this collection of oneshots. Not sure yet, sorry.

This drabble is a bit dark. Sakura has been raped before the story's premise, but there's nothing graphic.  
>Also, Naruto cusses a lot.<p>

**summary:** "I don't care how much you love her. She doesn't know that. You're her therapist. She's a rape victim. Taking advantage of her emotionally fragile state is immoral and disgusting."

**WORD COUNT:** (counting title but not the line-breaker period) 500

* * *

><p><span>2. At Your Weakest<span>

She smiled. And, surprisingly, he smiled too.

It was at that moment when they both felt it: the invisible strings of attraction finally tying them together, so hard that neither of them could resist.

She closed her eyes, tilting her head up. He, too, closed his eyes and leaned nearer, nearer...

The door opened.

"One mail order for one Mr. Bastar—WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Stacks of paper crashed to the floor. Naruto stood, eyes wide in disbelief, at the office door. "Sasuke—Miss Haruno—both of you—"

Sakura and Sasuke disentangled themselves from each other, blushing heavily.

Without giving the man a chance to explain, Naruto pushed Sasuke out of the room.

"That wasn't what you—," Sasuke began as he was dragged into an empty staff lounge. Curious eyes followed them all the way until the door slammed shut.

"To hell it wasn't," Naruto snapped. He grabbed Sasuke by the shirt collar, face dangerously close. "What the hell were you _thinking_? Sasuke, you better fucking tell me what just went on there!"

"Let go of me, you idiot!"

"TELL ME!"

"I..." Sasuke swallowed. "I think... I tried to kiss her."

Naruto's fist tightened. "You think? You're Sasuke fucking Uchiha. You never _think_ you're doing something."

"I didn't kiss her."

"But you intended to."

"Yes. I love her."

Naruto slammed Sasuke against a wall. "She's _Sakura Haruno_. You bastard! She—She—" He took a deep breath in, his eyes closing. "I don't care how much you love her. Haruno doesn't know that. You're her therapist. She's a _rape victim_. Taking advantage of her is immoral and _disgusting_."

"I am not taking advantage of her!" Sasuke shouted back. "Get a clue, won't you? I just told you—I love her—I'm not some kind of sick doctor who would take advantage—"

"But you are walking down that road," said Naruto, blue eyes glaring. "You know how emotionally fragile she is. Use your fucking Ph. D brain! Right now you have her trust, but goddammit, she doesn't know the fucking difference between you and the next guy who comes around! How is that _any_ _different_ from taking advantage?"

At this, Sasuke could make no reply.

The blond looked at his best friend for another second before relaxing his fist.

"You are so stupid, bastard..." Naruto sighed. "I don't want you to be unhappy, you know. That's why I'm doing this."

"I know..."

"Go back there and fix things with Haruno, Sasuke." Shaking his head, Naruto stepped back. "She must be wondering what happened."

"I—"

"Just go. Now, before you both get hurt."

.

Sasuke approached his office, a hand on the doorknob.

There was something heavy weighing down his heart, but he steeled his courage and casted aside his emotions. He had always known this moment would come. It was only a question of sooner or later.

_Goodbye, Sakura._

Slowly, he pushed open the door.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, Miss Haruno..."

* * *

><p><strong>an:** Most of my oneshots will have potential to become multichaps, but I have too much on my plate right now to continue them. This one is definitely not continued. Whether or not they end up together is up to you.

Other than that, happy New Year! 2012 here we are. :)


	3. The Art of Hearts

**a/n:** Bah. I'm getting the bad habit of putting cheesy titles again. And cheesy stories.  
>And I swear, there will be a time when Sakura gets her POV. I'm a bit more used to Sasuke's perspective, that's all.<p>

**summary:** "I always wonder what those fluffy feelings they describe in the scripts feel like."

**WORD COUNT:** (counting title) 500 again. I'm feelin' lucky.

* * *

><p><span>3. The Art of Hearts<span>

"Sakura," Sasuke said, sighing, "you have to get down soon."

"Why should I?" She twirled on the stage with the grace of a butterfly. "I'm the star, aren't I? World's best actress... the pink-haired princess, Sakura Haruno. I have the excuse to act spoiled."

"You'll ruin your hair, and Hinata will have to redo it. Do you want that?" Below the stage, Sasuke leaned against a folded theater chair. "Come down quickly."

Instead, she took a high leap, flying across the backdrop of a starry night. Remembering her lessons on ballet from the movie _Step, Tip, Cross_, she arced back her spine. Her lifted hands skimmed over a handing moon before she landed at the foot of a stone tower. Even then, there was not so much as a quiet _thud_ in her steps.

"I think I'm supposed to quote Romeo here," she said, looking up at the tower's balcony. "But I don't really want to."

"Hmm," Sasuke said. Maybe she would grow bored soon if he humored her. "And who would be your Juliet?"

She looked at him and grinned. "Maybe you can. But now I'm _up here_ and you're _down there_, you'll have to take my part as Romeo. I'm Juliet instead."

He shot her a withering look. "And that had nothing to do with the fact that Juliet, like you, is a woman? And I, like Romeo, am a man?"

"Nope." She shrugged. Cross-dressing had never bothered Sakura Haruno before. "Hey, catch me."

"Wha—"

A second later, she was throwing herself off the ten-foot-high stage, at a speed and height that would certainly hurt herself. Sasuke immediately raced forward and caught her, though not before landing his bottom on the floor heavily.

"Shit," he hissed. "Why the hell did you have to pull a stunt like that? Do you _want_ to die?"

In his arms, she watched him, green eyes staring unblinkingly, a faint smile on her lips. Sasuke wondered if he had actually guessed correctly.

The thought made him squeeze her waist a little harder.

"Are you—"

"I always wonder what those fluffy feelings they describe in the scripts feel like." She placed her arms around his neck.

Suddenly, Sasuke realized that their faces were much too close.

"I want know what love is. And since you're the person closest to me in my life... naturally, I should love you. Right?"

"Is that a line in the movie, Sakura?"

Sakura's beautiful face blocked out the stage lights. She smiled.

"No..." The word traveled past her lips in a wisp of breath.

The space around them seemed to blur...

She leaned forward—

The shift in balance caused a sudden pain in his rear, bring back his senses.

He abruptly lifted her off him.

"We have a meeting about _Two Nights in Broadway_ in fifteen." He stood. "It's important. Go to the dressing room, Sakura."

As he turned to leave, Sasuke thought he saw a flash of hurt across Sakura's face.

* * *

><p><strong>an:** I kind of like this one, even though the ending was abrupt.  
>And yes, for once, we have the romance this fic was supposed to promise. And yes, again, I have an ending... like this.<p> 


	4. The Drunken World

**a/n:** Kind of inspired by _Brave New World_, by Aldous Huxley, though it really started out as a fic in protest of another...fic. Sort of. Ahem.  
>As for <em>Sasuke, Not Uchiha,<em> it WILL get an update... after I finish covering up a few planning-time plotholes.  
>Also, to those who keep on supporting the story: Thank you. I know most of you are still looking for a continuation of "Fail Males Here," but thank you for readingreviewing these _Step By Step_ stories anyway. Lots of love~

**summary:** Just sway to the music and forget about the world. Forget about sorrow, forget about pain. Forget everything about what makes life worthwhile. Just sway to the music, and drown yourself in oblivion.

**WORD COUNT:** (counting title) 500. I shall make this some kind of record.

* * *

><p><span>4. The Drunken World<span>

"Why are you out here?" asked Sasuke.

Sakura released the beer bottle from her fingers, where it was dragged down by gravity, falling faster and faster until the small dot finally hit the asphalt away from sight.

"I just committed a murder," she told the man, though her eyes were fixed on the spot where the bottle had disappeared. Light from the moon wasn't enough to shine through the shadows of Konoha's skyscrapers.

"Really?"

"Yes," she replied. They both sounded as if they were talking about the weather, so light and casual. "Did you see the beer I just dropped?"

"What about it?"

"It killed my godmother." She smiled wryly. "And I let it fall to the ground, smashing into a thousand pieces. I just murdered my godmother's murderer."

As she talked, she slung one foot over the ledge.

A hand clumped on her shoulder. "Sakura, don't..."

"I'm so sick of this place."

Wind blew her hair back. She looked down, electricity coursing through her veins when the height of the building really hit her.

Sasuke's arms wrapped around her waist. To keep her from jumping off, she supposed.

"There are other ways—"

"There're not." Her façade of indifference fell away, leaving agitation and pain. "Everyone here—they're sick. This world isn't real anymore. We dance, we smoke, we drink. We're all drunk. Days flash past before we know it. Time ceases to exist. Waking, dreaming, drunk—they're all the same. I don't want to live a life like this anymore. If I can't leave this place, I'll escape with the only way I know. Let go of me, Sasuke."

"This is no reason to—," he began impatiently.

"NOBODY CARES ANYMORE!" she finally screamed, thrashing in his arms. "Do you know how long it took for Naruto to forget about Jiraiya after he came to this place? One week. ONE WEEK! He can't even remember Jiraiya's name now. And Hinata—what has become of her? After coming to Konoha, she starts to sleep with every guy walking. She and Naruto, and Ino, and Shikamaru, Gaara, even _Lee_—I can't recognize them anymore. They're _dead_, Sasuke. THEY'RE ALL DEAD!"

She felt his fingers dig into her forearm. "Even me, Sakura?" he asked quietly.

She stopped struggling.

"Do you know why I came here, to Konoha, in the first place?" She turned to look at him. "I wanted to forget about you, how I failed to save you. To me... you were dead from the start."

"I'm still here." His voice was shaky, his calm broken. Sakura, however, didn't understand how he could be so emotional; he had never cared for her, after all. "I haven't succumbed. We—you and I—we can still save Naruto and—God, Sakura, why do you have to be so stubborn? Tell me, what can I do to make to go back downstairs?" He was begging. "Anything, anything at all, no matter at what cost—"

"Do you love me?"

* * *

><p><strong>an:** Bah. Didn't know how to end this at all. Will probably be continued, because _that_ was not an ending at all.  
>Just to make it clear, I do not believe suicide is an option. Ever. But Sakura's not in the right state of her mind right now, and she's very distraught over her friends' and her teacher's fate. There <em>is<em> a chance in salvaging her life; she just doesn't believe there is one.

Thank you for reading~


	5. Creativity

**a/n:** Because one of these borderlining self-inserts was bound to come up sometime, lol.  
>Don't worry, though. I still hold on to the belief that writing about yourself is just straaange.<p>

**summary:** Sakura Haruno goes for the extremity when it came to "experiencing love."

**WORD COUNT:** (counting title and not the two line-breaker periods) 500

* * *

><p><span>5. Creativity<span>

Sakura Haruno had it all plan out, her career as a writer.

Before high school ended, she would finish her first series, earning public attention as an underage novelist. Before she was twenty-five, her books would reach bestselling status. Before reaching thirty, her writing would become world-famous. Before she died, she would be known as the world's greatest author. Male _or_ female.

Her dreams were no delusions. Her very first novel was already completed by the time she graduated elementary school, her first acceptable work _published_ under a pen name in a decent publishing house. Though _Head in Water_ was still a relatively unknown title, it was much more than these... _average_ high schoolers had accomplished with their silly sports and tiny dramas.

But she was no fool; there was one thing she lacked compared to all other authors. She had been told many times by critics of her writing style, how "lofty," "simple," "plain," and—most infuriating of them all—"childish" it was. Her vocabulary was far above peers her age, her thinking far more mature, her style much more fluent, her characters much well-rounded than what they could ever accomplish—yet...

She didn't want to compare herself to other teenagers, right?

What she lacked in her writing was life experience. She could write and write and still never, ever catch up to the things adults experienced with their years. And Sakura was never one to copy off the shallow imitations of other novels; after all, what was the point of looking at the reflection of a mirror? She wanted to be the best—she needed to be the best. Nothing less would be acceptable.

After a day of musing, a day of ignoring the teachers' lectures and thinking about nothing but the future of her career—as she had done many times before—she found the solution.

People mature by a sudden, great impact on their lives. The impact did not have to be long; it only had to be powerful. If she experienced a sudden and great impact on her life, it would mature her thinking to the ones of adults. This was the shortcut she discovered.

And how would she receive such a sudden and great impact?

Well, that was the easy part, wasn't it?

.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

He turned, and faced girl with pink hair and green eyes. It was that loner-girl who never interacted with anyone but her notebook.

The classroom was empty except the two of them. Sasuke sighed, annoyed. As much as he would like to appreciate the bizarreness of the situation, he would be late to class soon. If he were to receive a detention because of this girl, he wouldn't get back to his brother's shop in time to be of help.

He crossed his arms, facing her. "Make this quick."

The girl smiled.

"Go out with me."

.

The solution was simple—she would subject herself to the pains of heartbreak.

And of course, Casanova Sasuke was the key.

* * *

><p><strong>an:** To be honest, Sakura was written to be "intelligent but cold" here, and she kind of struck me as _very scary_ here. I think I based her off the Sakura in my other fic, _when i gave you umbrella on that rainy day_, but with a much darker side.

Sorry for not updating much recently. D: I hoped to at least add another story to _Step By Step_, or else I feel like The 8th Stone has really frozen. I apologize also to whomever is waiting for my other stories. They will be updated as soon as I can. Thank you. :(


	6. Rant

**a/n:** Uh. Haha. Um, hi.

**summary:** Shikamaru and Ino talk about "a girl" and "a guy."

**WORD COUNT: **500

6. Rants

"Shikamaru?"

"Hm?"

"I have a problem lately."

"Troublesome... What is your problem?"

"Facebook."

"Facebook?"

"Facebook. I couldn't go on Facebook for two weeks."

"Really? Why?"

"The _chats_."

"What?"

"I can't stand them. As soon as you're logged in, that stupid green circle appears next to your name, announcing to all of your friends that you're online."

"Okay..."

"And every single time, Sakura catches me before I can make myself appear as 'invisible'!"

"Sakura?"

"I don't know how she does it. You know, this is the first time in my life that I have avoided my best friend."

"Didn't you talk to her yesterday?"

"Yeah, but that was in real life. We're always with a big group of friends, and she won't be able to say anything without Naruto and the others hearing. It's not like I _want_ to avoid her. It's just... ahh! There is only so much drama a girl can take. And that stupid Sasuke too!"

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah, and the things they—Actually, Shikamaru, can I ask you something?"

"Sure... Not like I have a choice anyway..."

"Good. Okay. Say you have these two friends, a girl and a guy. They've known each other since _forever_ but then recently the guy started to take an interest in the girl—not that he would ever admit it directly, even after all the questions he asked me about her over Facebook..."

"Ino?"

"...and still chooses to pretend that he's—Hm? Oh, yeah. So, yeah, the guy's an idiot but is totally in love with the girl. The thing is, the girl had once liked the boy before too, though she got over him, like, a few years ago. Then, recently, because the boy starts treating her—and everyone else, actually—a lot nicer, she thinks she is falling for him again. But she doesn't want to, because she doesn't want to go back to being the lovesick girl she was."

"That's... Ino, does this have anything to do with Sasuke and Sakura?"

"No! Um, whatever gave you that idea? Uh, hahaha. You have such a weird imagination, Shikamaru. Anyway! Yeah, so basically the guy's totally into the girl, but the girl is wavering because she doesn't want to get hurt. Now, since you're their friend, you don't want them to get hurt, but you're also just tired of chatting with them simultaneously and _about each other_, what will you do?"

"This is just... You really want to know what I think?"

"Yes."

"Well, I think the girl needs to first decide on her feelings. Then if she decides that she likes him, they should just get together."

"..."

"Ino?"

"Huh... Whoa. Hey... that actually makes sense."

"Glad to hear that."

"No, seriously, Shikamaru, you just got rid of my problem in, like, five seconds. You're really good at this kind of stuff."

"No, I'm not."

"Really? What don't you know about relationships?"

"How to get out of the friend zone."

"Huh? Why would you need to know that?"


	7. Two Sides of the Strait

**a/n:** Haha, this is very clichéd. And has no romance at all.

**summary:** AU. Naruto, the son of Konoha rebel leaders Minato and Kushina, lives under the Uchihas' roof after Konoha is invaded by Suna.

**WORD COUNT:** 1,043 (yeah... this grew a bit too long)

* * *

><p><span>7. Two Sides of the Strait<span>

"You really think you had a chance of job here, Leafs?" The mainlander children laughed. "You really think we'd let you parasites into our country?"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Naruto yelled. He strained against the grips on his arms. "You guys know nothing about us! NOTHING!"

"We know nothing? Like how you little Leaf scums boarded those little boats, fleeing to _our_ land after _you've_ lost?"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP—"

"Konoha for independence!" the kid with the blue jacket saluted mockingly. His face then contorted in rage. "Next time you leeches want to rip apart a country, take it to your own holes!"

A beating followed, and it hurt like hell. But Naruto held all of his pain in—not a noise escaped his lips. That seemed to just make the neighborhood kids angrier, and it wasn't until hours later that they left, spitting and shouting insults as they trudged away.

By some miracle, Naruto managed to drag himself back to the Uchihas' small, dainty white cottage with only a few stumbles along the way. Every muscle inch of his muscle was on fire, and his face felt unnaturally puffy—definitely not a good sign. When he collapsed on the porch, his adopted mother looked up from her dishes behind the window. He saw her eyes widen.

"Naruto!" came Sakura Uchiha's cry. The screen door slam open, and he felt the porch's wooden tiles vibrate from the woman's frantic foosteps.

Once a spy for Konoha, Sakura (as she had allowed Naruto to call her as such) was legendary for her patience of a bull and her strength of a bear. When she was crossed, she was the devil incarnate. But as inhuman as she may seem to the masses, when times were urgent—such as during the Konoha Invasion—she was the most even-headed individual one could have the fortune to meet. Before losing her license in Suna, she was also a terrific doctor, and her crafts were immediately put to use after hauling Naruto into the house, patching him up with precision and speed.

Snips of scissors and smell of medicine filled the living room. Lying on the moth-eaten sofa, Naruto quietly told Sakura about what happened after school. Sakura was silent as he explained his story, though with every word the wrinkles between her eyebrows grew deeper and deeper etched in her skin.

When Naruto finished, he asked carefully:

"Did my mother and father... Did they... Did Mother and Father really... want to rip apart the Nation?"

"Of course not," said Sakura impatiently, finally speaking. She sprayed a piece of cotton ball with disinfecting liquid. "Move your arm up a little, Naruto. Good. This is also gonna sting. And no, your mother and father never wanted to rip apart the Nation. Konoha has always been an independent country—Our ancestors were from the Nation, yes, but Konoha has always governed itself... well, until the Invasion, anyway."

"But they said—"

There was something savage in the way she ripped open another length of gauze. She stopped and exhaled deeply.

"Naruto." She focused her eyes on him. "I am going to tell you something, and I want you to remember this, and remember this well."

He nodded.

"Your parents—Mr. Namikaze and Mrs. Uzumaki—they were great people. They were heroes to us Leafs. And the Sunians treat you the way they do because of that."

At this moment, they both heard the familiar creak and slam of the back fence door, signaling Sakura's husband's return from his work.

"Wait here, don't move." She turned her head and yelled, "Sasuke! Get me some hot water!"

Like Sakura, Sasuke was sent to Suna as a spy for Konoha during the Invasion. When Konoha lost, they were stranded on Mainland with no hopes of returning home. Once, Naruto asked Sakura if she regretted coming to Suna, but she winked and said no. "Of course, I miss my friends terribly. But . . . without this mission, I'd never have met Sasuke."

"Sakura," Naruto asked, "why does everyone . . . hate me? Why do they hate father and mother because they are heroes to Konoha? Why?"

She was quiet for a moment. Then, her arm wrapped around Naruto's small shoulders, and she placed his head on her shoulder.

"You'll understand when you grow older."

Sasuke soon arrived with a towel dangling from his hand. Naruto quickly separated from Sakura in an attempt to hide his wounds from Sasuke, who was just as hot-tempered as Sakura. But of course nothing fooled him.

"What the hell happened?"

Naruto looked down, though he didn't miss the inquiring gaze Sasuke sent to Sakura.

Sakura sighed. "Some kid brought up the subject of Konoha at Naruto's school..."

"Ah..."

"I hate Mainland," Naruto suddenly said. "I hate Suna. I hate the people here. I hate how everyone treats me differently just because I'm from Konoha. I hate how they look at me like I'm a monster."

"Naruto—Hey, Naruto!"

Sakura tried to grab his wrist, but he had already disappeared up the stairs.

.

Naruto had his chin on the desk. He stared at Sai, and every once in a while Sai would look at Naruto too, behind the glass, perhaps wondering why no food was being dropped into the bowl.

"You're so boring," Naruto told Sai.

The goldfish's gills expanded and contracted, though he showed no other sign of emotion.

Boring.

The boy jumped into his bed, pulling up the covers. Sai's unblinking eyes followed while a few bubbles escaped from his mouth. Seeing this, Naruto turned to the ceiling and drew his arm over his face.

In his mind, he remembered...

"_Naruto, dear, don't go too far off the mountains."_

"_Why not, Mommy?"_

"_The ocean is there."_

"_But that's where Daddy is, right? Across the ocean, fighting?"_

"_Yes..."_

"Mom..." Naruto whispered, staring at the way moonlight reflected silver on the gauze around his palm.

"_Hey! You there! With the red hair!"_

"_Huh?"_

"_You look new. What's your name?"_

"_G-Gaara. I got separated from my family."_

"_My name is Naruto Uzumaki! You're weird!"_

"_H-Huh?"_

_He grinned. "Let's be friends!"_

"Gaara..." He clenched his fist. "Traitor..."

A single tear slid down his cheek.


End file.
